tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81419172460607966402014-10-06T20:23:04.902-04:00Container City, London and Fuller's DymaxionClaire Kurtinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00699137085838594097noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-81627349182409024112010-01-21T12:44:00.009-05:002010-01-21T18:20:25.664-05:00Welcome to a World of Opposite Directions<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iVjU6MazI/AAAAAAAAAPY/M2VuN_c0rHk/s1600-h/Orion_Nebula_1200.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 399px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429253784935885618" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iVjU6MazI/AAAAAAAAAPY/M2VuN_c0rHk/s400/Orion_Nebula_1200.jpg" /></a> Starting Points are important. When Buckminster Fuller designed a series of houses known as the Dymaxion Project, he started with the <em>universe. </em><br /><p><em></em></p><p>Later, he ended up with a prefabricated design. </p><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iVf2nC_II/AAAAAAAAAPQ/R_fssDw2aBs/s1600-h/09_dymaxHouse_0_preview.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 321px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429253725262904450" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iVf2nC_II/AAAAAAAAAPQ/R_fssDw2aBs/s400/09_dymaxHouse_0_preview.png" /></a><br />When Nicolas Lacy designed Container City in London, he started with a box.<br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iVaE3Fc6I/AAAAAAAAAPI/i5gNGVDT4ms/s1600-h/container.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 292px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429253626009056162" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iVaE3Fc6I/AAAAAAAAAPI/i5gNGVDT4ms/s400/container.jpg" /></a><br />Later, it became a system of building that spread around the world.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iVUYAE9DI/AAAAAAAAAPA/psgdl5tlPRs/s1600-h/1container_city_2_south_view_2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429253528067830834" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iVUYAE9DI/AAAAAAAAAPA/psgdl5tlPRs/s400/1container_city_2_south_view_2.jpg" /></a> The development of each of these projects can be traced in opposite directions.<br /><br />The Dymaxion Project began with a set idea about the universe and the future, and became progressively more specific until it culminated in a prefabricated design.<br /></div><br /><div>Container City began with a prefabricated building block, and grew into multiple possibilities for the future. </div><br /><div>In succeeding posts, these threads are picked up, woven together, and carried along to describe the development and results of Fuller's and Lacy's designs. </div><br /><div>In the end, although "Bucky's" design did not enjoy the same kind of direct success with which Container City has been met, we are not passing judgment on his method or his views. </div><br /><div>However, it does seem clear that big visions require a revolution in order to happen. </div><br /><div>In the case of the Dymaxion House, Fuller's theory about the entire universe was to be encompassed in a single design, meant to be the beginning of a cure for all humand problems. He had to use prefabrication in a mass-produced way, designing every component of his houses from scratch. A whole new industry would have been required to put his ideas in production. </div><br /><div>Small visions, on the other hand, based on<em> things, </em>happen in regard to situations. </div><br /><div>Container City began with a single building block. Because there was a surplus of containers in the West, Nicolas Lacy's design was essentially using 'off-the-shelf' materials, rather than creating any new infrastructure. The plan worked at a small scale, and began to grow. </div><br /><div>The pragmatic approach is not the only way, and there is still a place for visionary ideas. But in a postmodern world which changes constantly, beginning with <em>things</em> and <em>situations</em> is more flexible. </div><br /><div>In any case, welcome. Welcome to a world of opposite directions.<br /></div></div>Samuel Gantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04483992708538576572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-61177797316355581002010-01-21T11:47:00.008-05:002010-01-21T12:30:03.921-05:00Prefabricated Components of Dymaxion Dwelling Machine<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iOwBTrbTI/AAAAAAAAAO4/YqkSi5SaYnc/s1600-h/RENDER7.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429246306430971186" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iOwBTrbTI/AAAAAAAAAO4/YqkSi5SaYnc/s320/RENDER7.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iOg6vkSTI/AAAAAAAAAOg/tdYAEN8MESk/s1600-h/RENDER8.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429246046970857778" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iOg6vkSTI/AAAAAAAAAOg/tdYAEN8MESk/s320/RENDER8.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iOZYKEqII/AAAAAAAAAOY/Dk82CnfbCac/s1600-h/RENDER5.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429245917427705986" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iOZYKEqII/AAAAAAAAAOY/Dk82CnfbCac/s320/RENDER5.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iOUfy5npI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/GQVa6ZPDDYA/s1600-h/RENDER4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429245833578651282" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iOUfy5npI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/GQVa6ZPDDYA/s320/RENDER4.jpg" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iOQIACSbI/AAAAAAAAAOI/adetfwkvXNE/s1600-h/RENDER3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429245758471817650" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iOQIACSbI/AAAAAAAAAOI/adetfwkvXNE/s320/RENDER3.jpg" /></a><br /><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iOL0u8qHI/AAAAAAAAAOA/xUcjtdJ4kVc/s1600-h/RENDER2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429245684580395122" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iOL0u8qHI/AAAAAAAAAOA/xUcjtdJ4kVc/s320/RENDER2.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iOH5k_qEI/AAAAAAAAAN4/Mw5qAJfg4R4/s1600-h/RENDER1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429245617161349186" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1iOH5k_qEI/AAAAAAAAAN4/Mw5qAJfg4R4/s320/RENDER1.jpg" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Samuel Gantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04483992708538576572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-16169114050409557212010-01-21T04:06:00.010-05:002010-01-21T18:31:45.448-05:00DYMAXION STRUCTURE AND CONSTRUCTION<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica, serif;">To examine the nature of the relationship between the structure and construction of the Dymaxion dwelling machine, including how these inform the overall shape of the building, it is crucial to understand the underlying objectives of the project. The dwelling was designed to be mass produced through prefabrication making it affordable, and to be easy to transport and assemble. In fact, the entire dwelling was designed so it would be only slightly more expensive then a car and could be assembled by a single person without any help. Both the shape of the building and its structural system work together to meet these criteria.</span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, serif;"><br /></span></div><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span style="LETTER-SPACING: 0px"></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 244px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b5Mv3R_9lVE/S1jinw4yYRI/AAAAAAAAACI/gdqbojVPZy4/s400/traditional+house.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429338523560993042" /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><span style="LETTER-SPACING: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span style="WHITE-SPACE: pre" class="Apple-tab-span"></span></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">When designing the Dymaxion Dwelling Machine, Fuller took advantage of the tensile strength of steel. The entire structure is suspended in tension from a central mast which transmits the loads to the foundations. The benefit to this tensile structure is that it dramatically reduces the size and weight of the structural members: thin steel rods and aluminum sheets compared to bulky 2x4’s and heavy bricks. As a result of the tensile structure the building weighed a mere 2.7 tons, in comparison to a traditional 135 ton building, and with each piece weighing less than 10 lb. it could be constructed by only one person. The building was also incredibly strong standing to even the harshest of environments, to prove this the Witchita house was constructed under gale force winds. Additionally, when a tornado passed within 300 yards of the dwelling in 1964 the house emerged undamaged. It is also worthy to note that the structure is built primarily from the top down due to its tensile nature. The floorboards are erected first to provide a surface to work on following this the roof is assembled, hoisted in to place, and the remainder of the building envelope is built from the roof to the floor.</span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><span style="LETTER-SPACING: 0px"></span><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 316px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_b5Mv3R_9lVE/S1jicv3iMTI/AAAAAAAAACA/sgPhQpQr4fA/s400/Dymaxion+House.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429338334308741426" /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_b5Mv3R_9lVE/S1jicv3iMTI/AAAAAAAAACA/sgPhQpQr4fA/s400/Dymaxion+House.jpg"><br /></a></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><span style="LETTER-SPACING: 0px"><span style="WHITE-SPACE: pre" class="Apple-tab-span"></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In addition the circular dome shape of the Dymaxion Dwelling Machine also allows for a significant reduction in weight by minimizing the envelope. The sphere contains the most volume in relation to surface area (the circle accomplishes this in two dimensions), this is why bubbles are always round: it is the most efficient shape. The dome shape of the building takes advantage of this property and minimizes the amount of building envelope needed to enclose the space. This results once again in a reduction of weight and cost. Furthermore the circular arrangement of all the structural members in the building allows for maximum repetition in all components allowing for much greater efficiency in mass production and a much lower cost.</span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><span style="LETTER-SPACING: 0px"></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 64px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_b5Mv3R_9lVE/S1jh5CI8kZI/AAAAAAAAAB4/eHOvxR_F2Mc/s400/14284_image_8xl.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429337720738320786" /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><span style="LETTER-SPACING: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span style="WHITE-SPACE: pre" class="Apple-tab-span"></span> It is clear that by minimizing the weight, size, variety, and amount of structural components including the building the envelope that the Dymaxion machine has met all of its objectives. The dwelling is very lightweight making it easy to transport and assemble. The building is also well suited to mass production and, if mass produced, extremely affordable.</span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span style="LETTER-SPACING: 0px"></span><br /></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span style="LETTER-SPACING: 0px"></span><br /></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: right; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><span style="LETTER-SPACING: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Myles McCaulay</span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><span style="LETTER-SPACING: 0px"><span style="WHITE-SPACE: pre" class="Apple-tab-span"></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; FONT: 12px Helvetica"><span style="FONT: 10px Verdana; LETTER-SPACING: 0px"></span> </p>Myles McCaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946375242742709998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-83134341530167619982010-01-21T00:15:00.003-05:002010-01-21T11:01:33.834-05:00Existing Container Projects<p> </p><p>Below are links to a number of projects using shipping containers, many of which were inspired by Container City. </p><ul><li><a href="http://www.lot-ek.com/">Puma City, by: Lot-ek</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lot-ek.com/">UNIQLO Container Stores, by: Lot-ek</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lot-ek.com/">Dim Mobile retain unit, by: Lot-ek</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lot-ek.com/">Sanlitun North, by: Lot-ek</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lot-ek.com/">Sanlitun South, by: Lot-ek</a></li><li><a href="http://www.tempohousing.com/projects/hotel-yenagoa.html">Hotel Yenagoa, Nigeria, by: TempoHousing</a></li><li><a href="http://www.tempohousing.com/projects/keetwonen.html">Keetwonen: student Housing, Amsterdam, by: TempoHousing</a></li><li><a href="http://www.tempohousing.com/projects/skaeve-huse.html">Skaeve Huse, Amsterdam, by: TempoHousing</a></li><li><a href="http://www.tempohousing.com/projects/salvation-army.html">Salvation Army, Amsterdam, by: TempoHousing</a></li><li><a href="http://www.tempohousing.com/projects/student-housing.html">Student Housing Diemen, Amsterdam, by: TempoHousing</a></li><li><a href="http://www.tempohousing.com/projects/labour-hotel.html">Labour Hotel, by: TempoHousing</a></li><li><a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mimoa.eu/images/3612_l.jpg&amp;imgrefurl=http://www.mimoa.eu/projects/Switzerland/Zurich/Freitag%2520Flagship%2520Store&amp;usg=__1pyz2OBYhmNT9M0jvypBD_Af55M=&amp;h=1024&amp;w=821&amp;sz=199&amp;hl=en&amp;start=6&amp;um=1&amp;tbnid=RJKTSG_-gSU4AM:&amp;tbnh=150&amp;tbnw=120&amp;prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfreitag%2Bflagship%2Bstore%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1">Freitag Flagship Store, by: Spillman, Echsle Architekten</a></li></ul>Emily Whitcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01370025343526158197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-18053756142080128952010-01-20T23:52:00.001-05:002010-01-21T00:02:57.285-05:00Shipping Container RenderingsEnter the Shipping Container.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1fdHL4UmVI/AAAAAAAAADo/7RfQzSfxUVk/s1600-h/container_render_A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1fdHL4UmVI/AAAAAAAAADo/7RfQzSfxUVk/s400/container_render_A.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1fdJHzqc9I/AAAAAAAAADw/7hllfs2xEbs/s1600-h/container_render_B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1fdJHzqc9I/AAAAAAAAADw/7hllfs2xEbs/s400/container_render_B.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1fdKYnD6cI/AAAAAAAAAD4/AO8lPHnCN5U/s1600-h/container_render_C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1fdKYnD6cI/AAAAAAAAAD4/AO8lPHnCN5U/s400/container_render_C.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1fdLApIT-I/AAAAAAAAAEA/4MS8XNQ-7OM/s1600-h/container_render_D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1fdLApIT-I/AAAAAAAAAEA/4MS8XNQ-7OM/s400/container_render_D.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1fdLyj6riI/AAAAAAAAAEI/JGV4iwOpj-0/s1600-h/container_render_E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1fdLyj6riI/AAAAAAAAAEI/JGV4iwOpj-0/s400/container_render_E.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1fdMmqjslI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/bOsbaLtk9TA/s1600-h/container_render_F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1fdMmqjslI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/bOsbaLtk9TA/s400/container_render_F.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /></div>Stanley Sunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405687150403113954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-58799677506936241622010-01-20T22:52:00.004-05:002010-01-21T11:04:12.507-05:00The Future of Container Projects<p>Below are several other container projects, showing ideas inspired by Container City. </p><ul><li><a href="http://www.lot-ek.com/">Container Home Kit, by: Lot-ek</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lot-ek.com/">Container Housing System, by: Lot-ek</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lot-ek.com/">Mountain Inn, by: Lot-ek</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lot-ek.com/">Clinton Square, by: Lot-ek</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lot-ek.com/">SJSU Art Museum, by: Lot-ek</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lot-ek.com/">Metal Management, by: Lot-ek</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lot-ek.com/">Goree Memorial &amp; Museum, by: Lot-ek</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lot-ek.com/">Container Mall, by: Lot-ek</a></li><li><a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://jetsongreen.typepad.com/jetson_green/images/2007/06/28/hybrid_seattle.jpg&amp;imgrefurl=http://theenergycollective.com/TheEnergyCollective/12625&amp;usg=__5A75vesgcTxVfQqKBO-jGrXCo5k=&amp;h=333&amp;w=470&amp;sz=126&amp;hl=en&amp;start=2&amp;um=1&amp;tbnid=5bUasetl63D-EM:&amp;tbnh=91&amp;tbnw=129&amp;prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcontainer%2Barchitecture%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1">"CONTAIN Your Enthusiasm", by: Group 41</a></li><li><a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.jetsongreen.com/images/2008/03/31/citycenterloftsrendering0803.jpg&amp;imgrefurl=http://www.jetsongreen.com/2008/03/city-center-lof.html&amp;usg=__IeQTXOa9oxxm0Ls14aLYtZ_ABpE=&amp;h=429&amp;w=468&amp;sz=100&amp;hl=en&amp;start=20&amp;um=1&amp;tbnid=C3JVeZIfNxz6CM:&amp;tbnh=117&amp;tbnw=128&amp;prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcontainer%2Barchitecture%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1">City Center Lofts, Green Container Container, by: Kalkin</a></li><li><a href="http://www.designtopnews.com/architecture-design/greentainer-eco-fied-container-architecture/">Greentainer Eco-fied Container Architecture</a></li></ul>Emily Whitcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01370025343526158197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-17374031913022456072010-01-20T08:52:00.021-05:002010-01-21T11:12:28.553-05:00Buckminster Fuller's Convoluted Journey from Philosophy to "Aeronautical-Engineering-Counterpart Dwell-in-able House"Those words are not mine. That's how Bucky described his Dymaxion Dwelling Machine. But we're not there yet.<br /><br />Based on his views about the universe, Fuller began to sketch, and write, and design, and think. He worked with an implicit set of 4 main criteria:<br />i) He would design for the individual, not for the community.<br />ii) He would design from the inside to the outside.<br />iii) He would use materials and resources to maximum efficiency.<br />iv) His designs would have neutral and temporary qualities.<br /><br />And so, as usually happens when one begins with philosophy, he came up with a crazy idea. He began to sketch designs for what he calls his "Lightful Towers", also known as "4-D House". They were designed as portable, 10-story residences which a zeppelin would be able to lift and take to wherever it was to be placed. The zeppelin would dig the foundation, of course, by dropping a bomb onto the site to create the hole. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cNNU-uauI/AAAAAAAAALg/LzvzImO9pdg/s1600-h/img012.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 281px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 369px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428822398439680738" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cNNU-uauI/AAAAAAAAALg/LzvzImO9pdg/s400/img012.jpg" /></a><br />At this point, Fuller's designs were loose and conceptual: his ideas about the universe were clearly expressed in them, but they hadn't quite 'come to earth'. During this time, he made a revision, and the tower changed to a two-story house - it would be more practical, he thought. It became known as the 4-D Dymaxion House.<br /><br />We will examine each of these in terms of Fuller's criteria.<br /><br />i) He would design for the individual, not for the community.<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cNGeJaizI/AAAAAAAAALY/Y7k7Uo8TEio/s1600-h/img014.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 309px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428822280641350450" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cNGeJaizI/AAAAAAAAALY/Y7k7Uo8TEio/s400/img014.jpg" /></a> Although Bucky recognized the importance of community, his ideas about the dangers of passively accepting the beliefs of others caused him to place more emphasis on individuals, not groups. He wanted to create places where people could learn from their own experiences.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cM87iBi4I/AAAAAAAAALQ/H2l7SNI9b_o/s1600-h/RBF4%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 194px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428822116730506114" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cM87iBi4I/AAAAAAAAALQ/H2l7SNI9b_o/s400/RBF4%5B1%5D.jpg" /></a> He saw the sheltering house as a mediator between humans and their universe: a tool, a lens, for understanding and viewing the world. </div><div></div><div>The house was also designed to be completely independent from city infrastructure - it would be off-grid. However, at this early stage, he didn't know specifically how this might be done.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cM24OuRbI/AAAAAAAAALI/DrxrN8xY79Y/s1600-h/img013.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 283px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428822012765029810" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cM24OuRbI/AAAAAAAAALI/DrxrN8xY79Y/s400/img013.jpg" /></a> He had some ideas about that, though. The drawing above shows two possibilities: one a wind turbine on top of the tower, which would generate electicity for the building, and the other a rotating streamlined shield around the structure, which would reduce wind-drag, and thus heat loss. </div><div></div><div>ii) He would design from the inside to the outside. </div><div></div><div>The first thing to happen at this stage was that Bucky decided that right angles were evil, </div><div>and set out to desecrate rectilinear geometry.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cMrfBw_KI/AAAAAAAAALA/QtYRKPDdFq0/s1600-h/img011.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 283px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428821817021234338" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cMrfBw_KI/AAAAAAAAALA/QtYRKPDdFq0/s400/img011.jpg" /></a> Let's not judge him too harshly: he wasn't just saying that he didn't like squares. Bucky was working from the universe onward, and so it was important to him to generate forms using only the principles of nature. Right angles were clumsy and unstable, rarely found in the natural world. The earth didn't operate on the basis of x, y, and z axes, which lacked direction and subtlety. Words like "up" and "down" offended Fuller's precision of language - everything was really either "in" or "out" from a centre of gravity. </div><div></div><div>Everything on earth fanned out from a central point. And so, in the design of the Lightful Houses, three axes changed to multiple rays springing from a central point - a mast, a column - something that would stand tall, and rise above the surface of the world.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cMlZCwHLI/AAAAAAAAAK4/cEgfcFJOgZs/s1600-h/RBF1%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 138px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428821712335543474" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cMlZCwHLI/AAAAAAAAAK4/cEgfcFJOgZs/s400/RBF1%5B1%5D.jpg" /></a> Aside from the geometry, this seemed quite natural to Bucky. Humans stood upright. Why should their architecture walk on four legs.<br /><br /></div><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cMe1K1tdI/AAAAAAAAAKw/tnNO3DPZwUo/s1600-h/RBF3%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 216px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428821599626573266" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cMe1K1tdI/AAAAAAAAAKw/tnNO3DPZwUo/s400/RBF3%5B1%5D.jpg" /></a> </div><div>In the next stage of his ideas - the 4-D Dymaxion House - Fuller realized that the hexagonal shape also allowed him to use the efficient strength of the triangle to maximum advantage. Eventually, he developed "synergetics", a whole system of geometry and mathematics based on triangles and tetrahedrons. Bucky was sure he had found the generating process used by nature to create its forms. </div><div></div><div>As a practical application of designing from inside to outside, the house was based around its central mast, with its services centred there, and living areas fanning out around it.<br /><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cMZ3CTx5I/AAAAAAAAAKo/smI3exY5xPw/s1600-h/img016.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 309px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428821514228320146" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cMZ3CTx5I/AAAAAAAAAKo/smI3exY5xPw/s400/img016.jpg" /></a><br />In both houses, naturally, the circulation also moved literally from the centre and outwards.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cMRxVzJCI/AAAAAAAAAKg/TVU7TSgxm4Y/s1600-h/img015.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 356px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428821375260501026" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cMRxVzJCI/AAAAAAAAAKg/TVU7TSgxm4Y/s400/img015.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cMMPmMiYI/AAAAAAAAAKY/zzDP9KU8iMI/s1600-h/img019.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 201px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428821280303122818" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cMMPmMiYI/AAAAAAAAAKY/zzDP9KU8iMI/s400/img019.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cMGCW0vTI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/azAhzTSOE20/s1600-h/img020.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 375px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428821173669772594" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cMGCW0vTI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/azAhzTSOE20/s400/img020.jpg" /></a><br />iii) He would use materials and resources to their maximum efficiency. </div><div></div><div>Bucky was extremely upset at the waste generated by construction and building. Because of his ideas about all of humanity being together on a finite "Spaceship Earth", he determined to waste nothing. This is why his towers spread upward and not outward - he was saving finite land. </div><div></div><div>More importantly, he developed a system in which metals could be used efficiently in tension, rather than compression.<br /><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cLvrJMs8I/AAAAAAAAAKA/92ZBXHW15IY/s1600-h/img021.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428820789481485250" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cLvrJMs8I/AAAAAAAAAKA/92ZBXHW15IY/s400/img021.jpg" /></a> He would use the central mast as the only loadbearing part of his structure - the rest would hang, supported by tensile cables (red), and held rigid by compression rings (blue).<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cLlyFSQeI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/G_pa-L8LUVo/s1600-h/img022.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 370px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428820619545428450" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cLlyFSQeI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/G_pa-L8LUVo/s400/img022.jpg" /></a> This system of separating the tensile and compressional members later became known as "tensegrity".</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>iv) His designs would have neutral and temporary qualities. </div><div></div><div>Fuller's emphasis on mass production will become clearer in posts regarding the culmination of these designs - the Dymaxion Dwelling Machine. However, even in these early examples, he planned to be efficient by producing houses much as cars are produced - using prefabrication and assembly lines. </div><div></div><div>Aside from making good houses affordable for everyone, Bucky wanted to make the houses a backdrop to life, rather than an expression of individuality. He said that they were like musical instruments - utterly silent and lifeless on their own, but able to play any melody the performer chooses. </div><div></div><div>The temporal nature of his designs can be illustrated by a section of the Dymaxion Dwelling Machine:<br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cLdCAxbDI/AAAAAAAAAJw/CMxECEHZOMs/s1600-h/Thing.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 261px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428820469202644018" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1cLdCAxbDI/AAAAAAAAAJw/CMxECEHZOMs/s400/Thing.png" /></a> The only things touching the ground are the anchors of the tensile wires, and a single plate foundation for the mast. </div><div></div><div>Fuller's earliest house designs stood in isolation, balanced on a slim, compressional mast, while the rest of their structures floated gracefully down in tensile poetry.<br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Samuel Gantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04483992708538576572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-91379822528506462872010-01-19T21:07:00.010-05:002010-01-20T21:19:02.437-05:00From Then To Now : Shipping Container Homes<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The idea to use shipping containers for housing first came about due to the surplus of empty containers around the United States. America imports finished good; it seems to have given up on manufacturing it's own goods. Their goods are imported using container ships which are emptied and then refilled with the exports. However, the number of imports far out way the exports so empty shipping containers are filling the ports.<div><div><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px; height: 600px;" src="http://blog.brascomexgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1container_city_2_south_view_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color:#0720a5;"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><a href="http://blog.brascomexgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1container_city_2_south_view_2.jpg">http://blog.brascomexgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1container_city_2_south_view_2.jpg</a></span></p></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 525px; height: 266px;" src="http://www.containerizedhomes.com/resources/24/525_keetwonen.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><p></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><br /></p><p></p></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color:#0720a5;"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><a href="http://www.containerizedhomes.com/resources/24/525_keetwonen.jpg">http://www.containerizedhomes.com/resources/24/525_keetwonen.jpg</a></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color:#0720a5;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p></div><div>The idea came about to use the containers as living spaces, something that seemed to be developed only because of its novelty, and experiential qualities. Places like Container City, London and the Amsterdam student housing projects were a perfect example of this. They probably wouldn't have been as successful if it wasn't for their novelty. However these projects should our human ingenuity; we were faced with a problem and we came up with a reasonable, economical and logical solution. Which seemed to benefit all those involved. People had houses, ports were cleared and there were clear ecological benefits.</div><div><br /></div><div>As of late the idea of using shipping containers as suitable housing has further developed. Some companies have now taken this idea and applied it to the redevelopment of underdeveloped parts of the world. A company that started out as a college design competition is now set to produce instant houses for poorer folks in Mexico. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica, serif;font-size:14px;"><img src="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/ny/9-25-08shipping4.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 540px; height: 428px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(7, 32, 165); "><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/ny/9-25-08shipping4.jpg">http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/ny/9-25-08shipping4.jpg</a></span></span></div><div><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><br /></p></div><div>The idea is simple, they get surplus cheap shipping containers from the U.S. and retrofit these containers into instant houses that they can ship anywhere. Their idea is to give people something better than the pallet and cardboard shacks they have now, but it is still affordable for them.</div><div><br /></div><div>Recently, due to the Haiti earthquake, there have been talks about using shipping containers in order to cope in emergency situations. Clemson's School of Architecture collaborated on the project to create a method to convert the shipping containers into homes. The original idea was inspired by the housing crisis that have followed large hurricanes in the Caribbean and United States. However the lead professor believes that the shipping containers would work in earthquake prone areas. He says, "because of the unibody construction they are also very good in seismic zones and exceeds structural codes in the United States and in any country in the world."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p></div><div>The faculty and students' main idea was to find a way to put displaced people in emergency housing that could be both sturdy and safe on a permanent site. But, putting families back on their own land quickly is still the key objective. This shows that something that was first seen as a novelty and highly experimental, has become something so much more. The shipping containers went from being a nuisance to being used to aid those in need. The progression of this prefab housing idea in such a short time illustrates how far society can come in such a short time. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:16px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color:#0720a5;"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/real-estate/shipping-container-homes-by-pfnc-global-communities-064351">http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/real-estate/shipping-container-homes-by-pfnc-global-communities-064351</a></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color:#0720a5;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color:#0720a5;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color:#0720a5;"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><a href="http://delmardustpan.blogspot.com/2008/11/surplus-cargo-containers.html">http://delmardustpan.blogspot.com/2008/11/surplus-cargo-containers.html</a></span></p><div><br /></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color:#0720a5;"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100115182633.htm">http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100115182633.htm</a></span></p></div><p></p></div><div><br /></div></div>Ashley Pachecohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07721291656881331355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-32297953700805114252010-01-19T10:02:00.012-05:002010-01-21T11:41:26.085-05:00Dymaxplosion: Prefabricated Systems of Dymaxion Dwelling Machine<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1XKPpUJliI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/kDY5s-56efg/s1600-h/EXPLODED+RENDER.jpg"></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1XKKqmXmAI/AAAAAAAAAJI/551q8TbA3Gg/s1600-h/SKY+RENDER.jpg"></a>For Don - here is an exploded perspective with shades and shadows. It shows the component systems of the Dymaxion Dwelling Machine separated vertically.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1XKGvvvB2I/AAAAAAAAAJA/nzJnEJStr2c/s1600-h/EXPLODED+PERSPECTIVE+WITH+SHADES+AND+SHADOWS.bmp"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428467143109707618" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1XKGvvvB2I/AAAAAAAAAJA/nzJnEJStr2c/s400/EXPLODED+PERSPECTIVE+WITH+SHADES+AND+SHADOWS.bmp" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1XJ_-Ry6JI/AAAAAAAAAI4/VB3e4HdmO7A/s1600-h/CORRECTED+RENDER.bmp"></a><br />And... something isn't right about that sky. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1XJ5eo_V7I/AAAAAAAAAIw/Pv5wTTJ1iNY/s1600-h/SHADOWS+ON+THE+SKY.bmp"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428466915179714482" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1XJ5eo_V7I/AAAAAAAAAIw/Pv5wTTJ1iNY/s400/SHADOWS+ON+THE+SKY.bmp" /></a> The prefabricated components can be seen in the following rendering, beginning from the top and moving down:</div><div></div><div>1. Ventilation cap and aluminum roof gores.</div><div></div><div>2. Carlin drainage channels. </div><div></div><div>3. Web of tensile cables. </div><div></div><div>4. Compression rings. </div><div></div><div>5. Interior partitions, created from utility pods. </div><div></div><div>6. Wrap-around glazing and aluminum wall-cladding. </div><div></div><div>7. Central mast and foundation block, with floor structure.<br /><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1XJu7hRQPI/AAAAAAAAAIg/wu4eGqGbGn4/s1600-h/EXPLODED+DYMAXION.bmp"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428466733953401074" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1XJu7hRQPI/AAAAAAAAAIg/wu4eGqGbGn4/s400/EXPLODED+DYMAXION.bmp" /></a></div></div>Samuel Gantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04483992708538576572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-36519572225063142962010-01-19T02:27:00.006-05:002010-01-21T12:43:29.115-05:00General Rendered Views of the Dymaxion Dwelling MachineBelow are views of the roof of the Dymaxion Dwelling Machine and its ventilation cap. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1Vhxe0V0PI/AAAAAAAAAIY/aFJ6NsUHG1I/s1600-h/RENDER31.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428352428579082482" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1Vhxe0V0PI/AAAAAAAAAIY/aFJ6NsUHG1I/s400/RENDER31.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1Vht6ayA1I/AAAAAAAAAIQ/MHwcqpEyALI/s1600-h/RENDER30.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428352367268594514" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1Vht6ayA1I/AAAAAAAAAIQ/MHwcqpEyALI/s400/RENDER30.jpg" /></a><br /><div>The image below is a stripped-away rendering of the tensile structure in the Dwelling Machine.<br /><div><div><div><div></div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428351965288057922" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1VhWg7JzEI/AAAAAAAAAHo/39K_qKJ-FY0/s400/RENDER24.jpg" /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1VhTA6paXI/AAAAAAAAAHg/oJSQx0M-qWo/s1600-h/RENDER23.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428351905156393330" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1VhTA6paXI/AAAAAAAAAHg/oJSQx0M-qWo/s400/RENDER23.jpg" /></a><br />The following is a rendering of the dwelling machine with some of the roof sheathing cut away.<br /><div><div><div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1VhHp59vqI/AAAAAAAAAHI/mnKiQ_8hKV0/s1600-h/RENDER20.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428351710000955042" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1VhHp59vqI/AAAAAAAAAHI/mnKiQ_8hKV0/s400/RENDER20.jpg" /></a>This image shows a general rendered view. Note the tensile cables still visible behind the glazing, and the points where they meet the ground to anchor the suspended structure.<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1Vg-Ub1wtI/AAAAAAAAAG4/se0zQE09RT4/s1600-h/RENDER18.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428351549618635474" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S1Vg-Ub1wtI/AAAAAAAAAG4/se0zQE09RT4/s400/RENDER18.jpg" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Samuel Gantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04483992708538576572noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-86648582591295784672010-01-18T01:24:00.000-05:002010-01-20T21:05:07.433-05:00A Tour of Container CityThe characteristic of shipping containers that enables their use as structural building blocks is their standardization. From the specifications in ISO 1496-1:1990, the most common standard single container has a length of 40 feet, a width of 8 feet, and a height of 8 feet. Common variations include an alternative height of 9.5 feet, and shorter containers of 20 feet long, and the standards also allow for 30-foot and 10-foot long containers. Their durability is a product of the welded, 2mm Corten steel construction.<br /><br />Container City I as erected in 2001 consisted of 15 uniform containers, each at 40 feet long, providing a total floor area of approximately 4800 square feet. Each floor is composed of 5 alternating, parallel containers. A later expansion project added 5 containers directly on top, creating a 4th floor and resulting in a total area of roughly 6400 square feet.<br /><br />Container City II was constructed in 2002 with 30 40-foot containers in a more varied configuration creating 22 studio spaces over its 5 floors, providing approximately 9600 square feet. This project is in a sense an expansion of the more conservative Container City I; containers are not limited to rigid, vertical stacks and whole floors cantilver up to 24 feet with support columns. <br /><br />While the USM project site for CC1 refers to the fourth floor addition providing "three additional live/work apartments," Eric Reynolds, USM managing director in 2001, says they are "aiming to create cheap but stylish workspaces in a modular fashion." (in an article by David Taylor in the February 8, 2001 issue of The Architects' Journal) The rest of the unfortunately brief article also consistently refers only to workspace or studios. My conclusion then about the distribution of spaces is that the first 3 floors are entirely work/studio space and the new fourth floor is a combination of work and living space.<br /><br />Also, wrt "How it is Made" in <a href="http://arch1932010-prefabfutures.blogspot.com/2010/01/container-city.html">Sean's post</a> below, I can confirm that at least for the first three floors, "the scheme is welded together." (ibid.)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S0q9pwiBrYI/AAAAAAAAABU/K1hL4mcdKOU/s800/193_cc1+elevations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S0q-GRfXyII/AAAAAAAAABc/_caVr05BM-w/s400/193_cc1+elevations+inv.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br />Container City 1 is structurally straightforward: each layer is square, composed of 5 parallel, alternating 40-foot containers. The layout of each floor is evident in the above elevations (ibid.), and the fourth floor addition is externally identical to the second and third floors.<br /><br />The USM FAQs document states that approximately 300mm pad foundations are necessary at the nodes. The characteristic circular windows visible on both Container Cities is in fact a result of structural engineering: the circular shape doesn't introduce any stress on the structure. Roofing options range from standard flat roofs to green roofs; this accounts for the various rooftop surfaces visible in the following aerial photos, as well as the appearance of the roof of the nearby Riverside Building (the yellow building with a glazed facade facing the river, another USM container building project).<br /><ul></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S0rH7VHXwTI/AAAAAAAAABk/HUKfdvEmhAQ/s1600/aerial1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S0rH7VHXwTI/AAAAAAAAABk/HUKfdvEmhAQ/s320/aerial1.jpg" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S0rIEeu39QI/AAAAAAAAABs/6L-oL-NL3u4/s1600/aerial2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S0rIEeu39QI/AAAAAAAAABs/6L-oL-NL3u4/s320/aerial2.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S0rIIYXk-0I/AAAAAAAAAB0/Ln1jtBO_C4w/s1600/aerial3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S0rIIYXk-0I/AAAAAAAAAB0/Ln1jtBO_C4w/s320/aerial3.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S0rIMiXaVmI/AAAAAAAAAB8/Bqc1iE3EEQI/s1600/aerial4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S0rIMiXaVmI/AAAAAAAAAB8/Bqc1iE3EEQI/s320/aerial4.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Images courtesy of <a href="http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/container-city-by-urban-space-management/view/?service=1">Virtual Globetrotting</a>)</span><br /></div><br />The following set of photos move in a general clockwise direction around the combined Container City project, starting from the east side, facing Container City II.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/19/112856341_0ce28ffdf8_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1elUUbnWCI/AAAAAAAAACw/mGEcPW6RLNA/s320/01.jpg" /></a></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/michellemarie/112856341/">Flickr</a>)</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/37/112856447_fdc85fd7ab_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1elVZD_2nI/AAAAAAAAAC4/iK0Uv0vew7w/s320/02.jpg" /></a></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/michellemarie/112856447/">Flickr</a>)</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/99/300241440_c7114469e5_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1elWKpS3rI/AAAAAAAAADA/jfjt63JRk-c/s320/03.jpg" /></a></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/randomwire/300241440/">Flickr</a>)</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/36/83334337_2b0aa7c0d9_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1elXdxTnFI/AAAAAAAAADI/940au_HQ5xE/s320/04.jpg" /></a></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/james_lumb/83334337/">Flickr</a>)</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3168/2880595934_d9629d879c_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1elX-bE09I/AAAAAAAAADQ/PRoy2Vy5iUU/s320/05.jpg" /></a></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/niallsco/2880595934/">Flickr</a>)</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2597/4009023122_78cc1704bc_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1elYs2PNhI/AAAAAAAAADY/L9h6aya8COU/s320/06.jpg" /></a></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fairlybuoyant/4009023122/">Flickr</a>)</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3007/2618505062_bc0478e0ea_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_t5599SarOnU/S1elZZzJKMI/AAAAAAAAADg/VlLnAtbJZMI/s320/07.jpg" /></a></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/patricklondon/2618505062/">Flickr</a>)</span><br /></div>Stanley Sunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405687150403113954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-26619490567834271612010-01-17T23:58:00.042-05:002010-01-21T11:11:36.328-05:00Container City<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1Z85CTOlpI/AAAAAAAAAiI/6b6h9EhGyO4/s1600-h/shipping+container.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1Z85CTOlpI/AAAAAAAAAiI/6b6h9EhGyO4/s400/shipping+container.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428663720153618066" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1Z9K3TMY6I/AAAAAAAAAiQ/zryt90jUHak/s1600-h/harbor.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1Z9K3TMY6I/AAAAAAAAAiQ/zryt90jUHak/s400/harbor.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428664026438329250" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There isn't really any doubt that the invention of the shipping container revolutionized the structure of the entire global market as we know it. Before the creation of this simple box, the shipping industry was fairly inefficient: cargo, upon arrival at the waterfront, was lifted aboard the ship in no particular order, then sorted and loaded. In theory, they were sorted meaningfully, with the goods that would be unloaded first the last loaded, but there was no real standard procedure being used.</div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1Z-ARaEQAI/AAAAAAAAAio/kChjNr7YO8o/s1600-h/oldship2.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1Z-ARaEQAI/AAAAAAAAAio/kChjNr7YO8o/s400/oldship2.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428664943979544578" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><div style=""><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div><div></div><div>Furthermore, the loading and unloading a ship could take hours, with loose goods mixed in with crates, barrels, and sacks needing to be arranged perfectly to avoid an excess of shifting during the boat's trip. This process would not only lose money for the ship owners, but for other transportation companies, such as drivers who had to wait for their cargo to be removed, dumped on deck, sorted, loaded off the boat via a crane, and loaded into his truck before being able to depart.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1Z-BACfjiI/AAAAAAAAAiw/W54NJvmvFgY/s1600-h/storage3.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 167px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1Z-BACfjiI/AAAAAAAAAiw/W54NJvmvFgY/s400/storage3.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428664956497137186" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div>By the 50s, it was becoming clear to those in the industry that the system <i>might</i> be grossly expensive and inefficient. Enter Malcom McLean, trucking magnate.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="http://www.americanshipper.com/NewWeb/images/McLean_Malcom.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 376px; " /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 26, 139); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(Image courtesy of <a href="http://www.americanshipper.com/FC/FLC_story.asp?news=133613">American Shipper's Florida Caribbean Connection</a>)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>Malcom McLean, the owner and founder of McLean Shipping Co., was always looking to save costs at every turn and eliminate as much inefficiency as possible and for him, the loading time at the port was <i>the</i> problem to be solved.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>At first, he had intended to use boats specially designed to have trucks drive onto them, but he very quickly realized that this led to wasted space that could be filled with more cargo. He then began to experiment with the idea of simply removing the trucks' containers and placing them on the ship.</div><div><br /></div><div>He wasn't the first to think of that sort of concept; boats had been carrying railroad cars between the United States and Cuba for several decades, but McLean was the first to make great success of these interchangeable cargo boxes. The idea took the shipping industry by storm.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Following several decades of lawsuits, takeovers, committees and debates, McLean's original metal box design had undergone the process of <i>Containerization</i>, or the standardization of the container system, with the ISO. All containers, from this point forward, were to be more or less the same, allowing for interchangeability between several modes of transport.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>As was previously stated, this genuinely revolutionized the shipping industry. The ability to quickly, with the assistance of enormous cranes and minimal manpower, load a crate off of a truck straight onto a cargo ship in Boston which could then be sailed off to Rotterdam before being loaded onto a train and sent to Zurich without ever having to unload anything for an extremely cheap cost was- and is- a boon to almost all industries.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>But it has its downside. In the previous decade or so, a fairly sizable shipping imbalance has developed on a global scale: to simplify a complicated scenario, China and Hong Kong are exporting more than they are importing, and it appears to be cheaper for them to make new shipping containers than to pay to ship the empty containers back. This leads to a huge surplus of empty shipping containers- with some estimates of as many as 700,000 surplus containers in the United States in 2005.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.isbu-info.org/shenzhen_75.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 458px; height: 292px;" src="http://www.isbu-info.org/shenzhen_75.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div>Inevitably, people began to take note of the containers- and apparently, it occurred to someone that a container is, at its essence, a pre-made room.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>From this realization came the Container City complex.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1aJpKp9HxI/AAAAAAAAAkA/dLUaI7rakB4/s1600-h/container+city+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 263px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1aJpKp9HxI/AAAAAAAAAkA/dLUaI7rakB4/s400/container+city+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428677741169680146" /></a><br /></div><div>Container City can be found on Trinity Buoy Wharf in London, located at the confluence of Bow Creek and the Thames, which is a site currently leased by <a href="http://www.urbanspace.com/">Urban Space Management</a> with the intent to develop it as a cultural and artistic centre. It features London's only lighthouse (not currently functional, though it is home to <a href="http://longplayer.org/">Longplayer</a>, a fascinating, albeit irrelevant millennial performance piece) and has a long history as one of the main buoy maintenance and testing sites for the London area. Though it is a wharf, it appears to have never been used for a significant amount of shipping.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The 'City' was designed by local architects Nicolas Lacey and Partners (a humorously difficult architect to find- an article from 1994 in <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/architecture--memoirs-of-an-invisible-man-nick-lacey-may-be-the-most-imaginative-architect-working-in-britain-today-so-why-has-no-one-heard-of-him-stephen-gardiner-reports-1383415.html">The Independent</a> is centered on his lack of public recognition), and was organized by Urban Space Management. Container City I, built in 2001 (with an additional floor added later) is a collection of living/studio spaces and Container City II is completely studio space. The original building was designed without the explicit awareness that it would be popular among the artistic community, but when it quickly found acceptance with artists it would appear that USM changed their tune slightly and began to market the complex as a space for artists. In fact, it may be questioned whether their intent to turn the Wharf into an artistic center was the plan all along, but this is mere conjecture.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>More than anything else, it can be said that the more significant driving force behind these buildings is, of course, the construction system itself. To understand these buildings, one must understand the basic design concepts that emerge from the design of the containers.</div><div><br /></div><div>The containers have monocoque or unibody structure- a sturdy metal frame with very thin cladding providing a "skin". This structure is usually waterproof (or waterproof-able) and is extremely hardy- after all, it needs to be able to survive trips out on the ocean.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The system of connections used to ensure the containers don't regularly go tumbling into the sea is relatively simple and entirely standardized- all shipping containers, to comply with the ISO standards, must have identical (or at least, functionally identical) connecting joints referred to as<i>corner castings</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div></div><div style="text-align: center; ">(See images too large to post here: <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1ZpQ4g-EDI/AAAAAAAAAgg/t14Xtf8zRB0/s1600-h/detail_side.jpg">Side</a>, <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1ZpQWb4IhI/AAAAAAAAAgY/6gBaIrRGDyY/s1600-h/detail_front.jpg">Front</a>, <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1ZpRW0ZVsI/AAAAAAAAAgw/Uk47Bg-WUBk/s1600-h/detail_top_sidelock.jpg">Top view with sidelock</a>, <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1ZpRLMdSyI/AAAAAAAAAgo/6cZMq0dtV50/s1600-h/detail_top_anchor.jpg">Top view with anchor</a>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>These corner castings are designed to work along with a mechanism known as a <i>twist lock,</i> the simple and effective standard for the connection of the shipping containers. This system is exceptionally sturdy (again, it is a requirement that the connectors be able to withstand rough weather at sea).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>(Note: While the Container City complex, being a permanent installation, did not rely solely on this system of connection (the containers were welded together), the construction system that has since ballooned in popularity often relies solely on them to create temporary buildings. Furthermore, it is possible that Container City used these connectors to ensure the units were aligned before welding occurred. For simplicity's sake, it will be assumed that the connecting units were used.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Using the simple principles set forth by the basic design of the container, several "rules of design" may be developed for Container City and other projects:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>i) Containers may be stacked atop or beside other containers.</div><div><br /></div><div>ii) Containers that attach parallel and adjacent to other containers can take advantage of the corner castings. It is possible to misalign the containers somewhat but this may require the addition of further corner castings, to prevent your house from being stolen later on.</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1aAIFC9SAI/AAAAAAAAAi4/JRRYNHNqJhM/s1600-h/containerjoints1.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1aAIFC9SAI/AAAAAAAAAi4/JRRYNHNqJhM/s400/containerjoints1.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428667277123602434" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Image demonstrating i) and ii)</span></div></div><div>iii)To enable lateral expansion, mirrored sections of corrugated metal may be removed from adjacent containers, allowing for door frames or openings.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1aBsScIl7I/AAAAAAAAAjQ/1MPqkh4aNsU/s1600-h/doors.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 381px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1aBsScIl7I/AAAAAAAAAjQ/1MPqkh4aNsU/s400/doors.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428668998705780658" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Image demonstrating iii)</span></div><div>iv) The structural integrity provided by the corrugated metal necessitates the use of circular windows, which retain strength.</div><div><br /></div><div>v) The front end of the container is by design required to support itself when the doors are open- as such, large glazing or glass doors may be placed here without eliminating all support.</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1aAI1a5SuI/AAAAAAAAAjA/Pm-9wbPHDWc/s1600-h/container0031.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1aAI1a5SuI/AAAAAAAAAjA/Pm-9wbPHDWc/s400/container0031.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428667290108906210" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Image demonstrating iv) and v)</span></div></div><div>vi) Due to the unibody construction of the shipping container, some cantilever can be accomplished without support. Nonetheless, supports are frequently used.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1aAJgOC0nI/AAAAAAAAAjI/HHjXJwcJBwU/s1600-h/stack3.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1aAJgOC0nI/AAAAAAAAAjI/HHjXJwcJBwU/s400/stack3.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428667301597729394" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>vii) For larger spans, bracing is used to support the floor along with supports. </div><div><br /></div><div>viii) Containers secured on their sides (with adequate support) may become stairwells or elevators.</div><div><br /></div><div>All of these concepts have found a place in the design of the Container City complex, as is evident in the plans and elevations, as well as the numerous photos of minute corners and edges that exist throughout the space.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1fIjuRv2II/AAAAAAAAAko/KzA0hDIP7_k/s1600-h/South+Elevation+-+keynote.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 259px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1fIjuRv2II/AAAAAAAAAko/KzA0hDIP7_k/s400/South+Elevation+-+keynote.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429028391861868674" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(See complete set of diagrams: <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1Z0Wp4hBYI/AAAAAAAAAhI/eFxeJmwpzzU/s1600-h/CASE+STUDY+-+A3.jpg">1</a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1Z0WaxX24I/AAAAAAAAAhA/zG0BItgr-yM/s1600-h/CASE+STUDY+-+A2.jpg">2</a>)</span></div><div><br /></div><div>The design of the individual containers is planned and the containers are customized long before installation on a grid of concrete pile foundations.</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1h8muVzN9I/AAAAAAAAAkw/Yl6MtRUpitU/s1600-h/concrete.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1h8muVzN9I/AAAAAAAAAkw/Yl6MtRUpitU/s400/concrete.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429226355511474130" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Image showing the grid of concrete piles, eight feet apart from each other</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> All of the containers feature elements of a conventional apartment, with hardwood flooring, gypsum board walls, plumbing and electrical services and insulation- essentially, living in a container like this is just like living in a regular apartment, but cheaper.</div><div><br /></div><div>And sexier.</div><div><br /></div><div>Which must be one of the explanations for its sheer popularity. After the first 3 floors of Container City I were put together over the course of four days in 2001 (followed quickly by the fourth floor in 2002), the project exploded in popularity among London artists. The unexpected level of demand was what drove Urban Space Management to design, again with the mysterious Nicholas Lacey and his "Partners", Container City II the following year for use as a collection of studio spaces. Artists throughout London were willing to be put onto a six month waiting list just to live inside an apartment building that<i> </i>was made out of repurposed shipping containers.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1aJowgiMbI/AAAAAAAAAj4/vT_9cAwyTNQ/s1600-h/Morphology1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tzg4I35tDLk/S1aJowgiMbI/AAAAAAAAAj4/vT_9cAwyTNQ/s400/Morphology1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428677734150844850" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Morphological Analysis by Ashley Pacheco showing the evolution of the building over its 3 periods of construction.</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Sure, the cost of renting in Container City is, by some accounts, between $100 and $240 a month. But that's beyond the point- the project has received great public acclaim and started a movement in container construction.</div><div><br /></div><div>-Sean Maciel</div><div>With research by Stanley Sun, Emily Whitcher, Farah Kathadra, and Ashley Pacheco</div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06949477994669972939noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-81399750228804175702010-01-17T22:08:00.017-05:002010-01-21T12:29:51.685-05:00Evolution of the Dymaxion Project<span style="font-weight: bold;">Initial Partis:</span><br /><br />1. Designing for the individual vs. community<ul><li>Decentralization → Fuller believed that living off the grid gave people the liberty to live wherever, and however they choose</li></ul>2. Designing from the inside out; from the center outwards<ul><li>No more rectilinear geometry → the rectilinear shape was not the most efficient use of space, and his resolution was to use more circular, hexagonal shapes</li><li>Central mast → having a central mast in his structures facilitated structure, function and services. The central mast also allowed the use of tension in his steel/metal structures which was considered the most durable construction</li></ul>3. Efficient material/land/resource use<ul><li>Conservation → Fuller factored in the finite resources of Spaceship Earth; this for him meant “doing more with less” (a considerable difference, he insisted, from ‘less is more’)</li><li>Tension → See central mast above</li><li>Minimum surface use → using less surface implies less materials, which was achieve by geometry</li></ul>4. Neutrality/standardization; versatile<ul><li>Standardized pieces → making pieces from the same mold would make the house more affordable.</li><li>House as backdrop → the house was meant to be a backdrop to the lives of its inhabitants; the metaphor of a piano Bucky liked to use: the piano is a standardized object but each player imposes his/her interpretation onto it. </li><li>Transportation → the houses were meant to be place everywhere so the transportation of the materials/houses had to be light enough and standardized </li><li>Versatile → because the house was meant to be placed everywhere it had to be able to withstand any kind of climate</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Morphology:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Square to H</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">ex</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">ago</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">n</span><ul><li>The hexagon is made up of six equilateral triangles which was a stronger and much more stable geometric configuration than the triangle.</li><li>The equilateral triangles distributed the weight and volume of surfaces more evenly</li><li>The repeating triangles allowed standardized pieces to be used in construction, cutting cost of manufacturing down</li><li>The hexagon with its triangles made organization of spaces easier</li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eSYQPowyI/AAAAAAAAABM/0x3F6Bp5w2Y/s1600-h/buckyhex.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 274px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eSYQPowyI/AAAAAAAAABM/0x3F6Bp5w2Y/s320/buckyhex.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428968821193491234" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4D Tower/Lightful House</span><ul><li>Triangles in the hexagonal tower allowed standardization. We see an early form of pre-fabrication. However, Fuller’s idea of pre-fabrication is often compared to the construction and delivery of a car. Like how cars are always delivered as a complete finished product, so too would Fuller’s Lightful House be delivered as a fully constructed building.</li><li>This tied into the method of transportation. Because the building was to be fully constructed by time of delivery, the house would be transported by zeppelins. The idea is that a bomb would be dropped from the zeppelin to create a crater. Then the house would be dropped into the hole and the hole filled with cement. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eP-U2GcLI/AAAAAAAAAA0/aUam7p7TDvA/s1600-h/4Dtower.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eP-U2GcLI/AAAAAAAAAA0/aUam7p7TDvA/s320/4Dtower.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428966176728707250" border="0" /></a></li><li>This method of delivery is made possibly only by the use of tension with metal. Tension, as opposed to compression, made the building light enough to be carried under zeppelins. </li><li>A central mast with the hexagonal floor rings made a tensile building possible. The central mast also facilitated services and circulation, and served as support.</li></ul><ul><li>Sustainability:</li></ul><ol><li>Light is directed through a series of strategically placed mirrors in the mast to direct sunlight; passive lighting. </li><li>Wind turbine on top of the house generated electricity</li><li>Stacking the tower ten stories high conserved land use</li><li>In the later stage a windbreaker was place around the tower to direct wind around the building. Fuller discovered that the drag created by wind passing through was a major source of heat loss. By placing a windbreaker around the building the structure would be insulated by minimal heat loss.</li></ol><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eQVKqhO0I/AAAAAAAAAA8/c2Nsfqm67UA/s1600-h/5ee1bfuller_housesjpg.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eQVKqhO0I/AAAAAAAAAA8/c2Nsfqm67UA/s320/5ee1bfuller_housesjpg.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428966569132768066" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4D (Dymaxion) House</span><br /><ul><li>The residential project became one unit instead of a tower. This made more sense in regards to what people were accustomed to in their vision of a home. The tower was an abstract idea whereas the 4D House was much more achievable.</li><li>Central mast was kept for tension, circulation, organization of rooms and spaces. The central mast also housed the reflective mirrors that allowed passive lighting. </li><li>Hexagonal geometry was also seen in this building to make the use of tension in aluminum possible; this also played into the idea of a light, transportable house. Pre-fabrication was still a central parti and the geometry was indispensible to making this possible.</li><li>Pre-fabrication of the house now included built in walls. </li><li>Sustainability introduced a gardening program on the balcony. Fuller was moving towards an ‘off-the-grid’ suburbia that included self-agriculture.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eVPlwLJiI/AAAAAAAAABc/QX5B2TLYJ1I/s1600-h/dymaxion4d.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eVPlwLJiI/AAAAAAAAABc/QX5B2TLYJ1I/s320/dymaxion4d.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428971970883167778" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eVi509DjI/AAAAAAAAABk/kOrBdD39-kc/s1600-h/dymaxion4dpainting.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eVi509DjI/AAAAAAAAABk/kOrBdD39-kc/s320/dymaxion4dpainting.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428972302689439282" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eU-IRqGII/AAAAAAAAABU/xgrHNEimA-Y/s1600-h/buck-600x458.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 244px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eU-IRqGII/AAAAAAAAABU/xgrHNEimA-Y/s320/buck-600x458.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428971670912768130" border="0" /></a></li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Time break</span> – during this time Fuller invented the Dymaxion Car and Dymaxion Bathroom, which was to feature the Fog gun and a Packaging Toilet.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eYuErvH-I/AAAAAAAAAB8/usZWxPyU0c8/s1600-h/grainbinds.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 259px; height: 164px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eYuErvH-I/AAAAAAAAAB8/usZWxPyU0c8/s320/grainbinds.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428975793117011938" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">DDU: Dymaxio</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">n Deployment Units</span><ul><li>By approaching the Butler Company (the company that produced the grain bins that inspired Fuller to develop this project) Fuller reduced the cost of the DDUs significantly by using an pre-existing assembly line, tools, and factory.</li><li>The central mast was kept to facilitate circulation and organization of space.</li><li><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eYf_g3t0I/AAAAAAAAABs/ttnBQD2EYv4/s320/ddu.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 164px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428975551211091778" border="0" />The materiality of the building allowed it to withstand any kind of harsh climates, making it versatile and adoptable. </li><li style="text-align: left;">Prefabrication took on a new and much more recognizable form: the houses would use standardized pieces, shipping, and allow easy assembly. </li><li>Prefabrication detailed the partitions that come with the shelters </li><li>Sustainability </li></ul><ol><li>Lightening with strategically placed <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eYopSDI0I/AAAAAAAAAB0/VB5tYETwHzI/s1600-h/armyshelter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 211px; height: 160px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1eYopSDI0I/AAAAAAAAAB0/VB5tYETwHzI/s320/armyshelter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428975699862168386" border="0" /></a>reflective mirrors</li><li>Discovered the shape of the DDUs allowed passive air circulation. The DDUs could keep cool in hot climates.<br /></li></ol><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><br />DDM: Dymaxion Dwelling Machine → Wichita House</span><ul><li>Taking inspiration from the circular shape of the DDUs, the DDMs were made circular and domed shaped to reduce the use of resources.</li><li>Prefabrication: the house would be shipped in containers that would fit in aircraft, truck, train and ship cargo. The weight of these houses was intended to be 2.7 tons, light enough for easy and quick assembly with relatively inexperienced crew. Prefabrication for the DDMs meant a fully detailed house with built in furniture (O-Volving shelves, dishwashers, laundry etc) and the Dymaxion Bathroom</li><li>To be built in the Beech Air Force Company using airplane technology, assembly line, and tools and thereby cutting the cost of manufacturing</li><li>Any part of the house would not weigh more than 10 pounds to allow for smaller assembly crew.<br /></li><li>Affordability: in addition to the above-described advantages, the house could be bought for the price of an automobile, and could be paid off in five years.</li><li>Maintenance: air vents in the house made the house dust free. Round radius corners allowed for easy cleaning. The house did not need to be painted and newer models of furniture/appliances could easily replace older models.</li><li>The house was constructed to withstand harsh climates making it versatile and adoptable. </li><li>Sustainability:</li></ul><ol><li>Water was to be collected by carlins to be filtered and recycled</li><li>Passive heating and cooling; inspired by DDUs</li><li>Passive lighting directed by strategically placed mirrors. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1ffR8H_uUI/AAAAAAAAACU/z2ziSQT-YUI/s1600-h/firstprojectpictures.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 232px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1ffR8H_uUI/AAAAAAAAACU/z2ziSQT-YUI/s320/firstprojectpictures.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429053375108856130" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1ffKs6D-GI/AAAAAAAAACM/PgfyWKMDULc/s1600-h/DDMfloorplan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1ffKs6D-GI/AAAAAAAAACM/PgfyWKMDULc/s320/DDMfloorplan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429053250764798050" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1ffBVUyh1I/AAAAAAAAACE/jG5j05FDTBE/s1600-h/transportablecontainers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 295px; height: 269px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1ffBVUyh1I/AAAAAAAAACE/jG5j05FDTBE/s320/transportablecontainers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429053089815627602" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1ffbfeXSTI/AAAAAAAAACc/khBmJAfVlfQ/s1600-h/modelDDM.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 223px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1ffbfeXSTI/AAAAAAAAACc/khBmJAfVlfQ/s320/modelDDM.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429053539216738610" border="0" /></a></li></ol>Carrie Chenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01899812619522643483noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-24174505600146429792010-01-17T20:29:00.009-05:002010-01-21T01:23:06.906-05:00Cultural Narrative Behind the Dymaxion Dwelling Machine(This part is only to supplement the timeline below.)<br /><br />Fuller resigned from the U.S. Board of Economics a year before the war was over so that he could spend time on his Dymaxion Dwelling Machine in time for the war veterans arriving back home. More than ever, Bucky anticipated the need for economic, versatile, quick-assembly, and efficient housing. His inspiration for this project is an accumulation of all his previous models; amassed partis and their resolutions that became more enhanced and refined in the Dymaxion Dwelling Machine.<br /><br />The project was rejected the first time it was proposed to the government but it was turned down due to the scarcity of materials. It wasn’t until the Beech Air Force Company moved to Wichita, Kansas that the idea of the Dymaxion Dwelling Machine was revisited. The Beech Company had relocated its factories because fear of German intercontinental ballistic missile attacks threatened the factories. The workers that were relocated were leaving the company due to poor working environments and the DDM seemed like the perfect solution.<br /><br />The first prototype was constructed indoors. Any one component weighed less than 10 pounds so that anyone putting the house together could hold the component in one hand and install it with the other. The aircraft company was the first that applied aircraft technology to housing. This was an economic move on Fuller’s project: the DDMs were built in the same assembly line as the military aircrafts using the same materials, workers and tools.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1fxSDeVWyI/AAAAAAAAAC0/CPKMmfxrknI/s1600-h/dymaxakeout+session.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 192px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1fxSDeVWyI/AAAAAAAAAC0/CPKMmfxrknI/s320/dymaxakeout+session.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429073168290896674" border="0" /></a><br />Response to the house was enthusiastic, as reported by the national medias. Stocks sold well based on the first model, and 3500 orders were put in. The visitors enjoyed the light, elegant ambiance and the women especially, appreciated the air filtration system that minimized housework.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1fxdrKO9zI/AAAAAAAAAC8/AIkbbwaR6e0/s1600-h/dymaxion+stock.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 308px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1fxdrKO9zI/AAAAAAAAAC8/AIkbbwaR6e0/s320/dymaxion+stock.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429073367922571058" border="0" /></a><br />The house was priced for sale at $6500 ($40,000 today’s currency), the same price as a car and could be paid off in five years!<br /><br />In the end it was due to circumstantial political and economical issues that ceased the production of the project. Bucky was adamant that the project was not perfected: he was insistent that the project would not be successful until it reached the gestation period in 1952, seven years away. He hid the patents and had them stamped ‘obsolete’ so that production and advertisement could not continue. The installation of plumbing and electricity was off the grid, and as a result, the local union contractors refused to cooperate and no other trained installers were provided. Finally it was mainly the tooling cost of the project that doomed its production. Beech did not intend to pay for tooling of the Dymaxion Dwelling Machine and had new airplanes to build. Bank loans were out of the questions due to squabbles among directors, unfinished project patents, and union troubles.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1fyHOSxVRI/AAAAAAAAADU/ECwfNF8nt30/s1600-h/omniuseless+maximum+gestation.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 260px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1fyHOSxVRI/AAAAAAAAADU/ECwfNF8nt30/s320/omniuseless+maximum+gestation.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429074081728255250" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1fyT7867fI/AAAAAAAAADc/aadXuee840k/s1600-h/union+squabble.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 317px; height: 351px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1fyT7867fI/AAAAAAAAADc/aadXuee840k/s320/union+squabble.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429074300143070706" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1fygcJC1sI/AAAAAAAAADk/1LSCu8FQltI/s1600-h/tooling+costs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 303px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jJEXoBezqFM/S1fygcJC1sI/AAAAAAAAADk/1LSCu8FQltI/s320/tooling+costs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429074514942285506" border="0" /></a>Carrie Chenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01899812619522643483noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-55144263774246301422010-01-17T04:36:00.007-05:002010-01-21T10:49:43.146-05:00Specifics and Timeline for the Dymaxion Project<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Name:</span> Dymaxion House Project 1944</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Address, location, and site: </span>After the Wichita Dymaxion House, located at Rosehill Kansas when it was in use by William Graham, no other full-scale prototypes of the Dymaxion Dwelling Machine were ever built. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;">It should be noted that the Wichita Dymaxion House is a modified and salvaged version of the original Dymaxion House prototype. According to the Henry Ford Museum, which currently houses the Wichita Dymaxion House, Fuller’s team was “still re-designing whole systems when the project was terminated. There are original drawings for component parts and systems, some of which did not get built, other which were still conceptual.” </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Scale and size:</span> The Dymaxion Dwelling Machine could fit in a container designed to fit aircraft cargo compartments and ordinary trucks so it may be delivery anywhere. The container would have weighed 2.7 tons; 50 times less than an conventional house that weighs 135 tons. The completed Wichita House span 11 meters across in diameter and 4.87 meters high. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">How it is made: </span>Sixteen inexperienced workers erected The Wichita House in two days of cold, windy weather. The house was built out of Aluminum and other metallurgy, which were more readily available due to the war. To take full advantage of this situation, Bucky developed the house to be manufactured in a military aircraft assembly line, which was used to working with the latest alloys in warplanes. This economic move was further realized when the same workers with the same tools and skills would stay on after the war, providing a new industry of jobs. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold" class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman">Timeline/Biography: </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1895</span> Richard Buckminster Fuller is born to Richard Buckminster Fuller Sr., and Caroline Wolcott (Andrews) Fuller in Milton. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1913</span> Fuller enters Harvard University following a five generation tradition. He is expelled a year later and put into work as a machine fitter at a textile mill in Quebec, his family business. His performance at the factory got him reinstated at Harvard in fall 1914.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1915</span> Fuller is expelled from Harvard due to a “lack of ambition”. He becomes a meatpacking worker in New York, working 6 days a week. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1916</span> Bucky gets engaged to Anne Hewlett, daughter James Monroe Hewlett, a prominent New York architect at the time. Their marriage faced a lot of turbulence throughout the year but would last 66 years.</p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1917</span> Bucky enlists in the U.S. Navy Reserve. It is during this time he developed the concept of “ephemeralization” whereby the “evolution of complex systems towards ever lighter, more efficient and more invisible forms.” His later designs were often inspired by naval machinery and technology. </p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1918 </span>Bucky’s first child Alexandra is born on December 12.</p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1922</span> Alexandra dies from spinal meningitis and infantile paralysis. Fuller takes this news badly and blames himself for not having provided better living conditions. He founds the Stockade Corporation with his father in law. The company advertized a new building system that used compressed bricks to construct light but sturdy buildings. The company completed 240 houses but became bankrupt in 1926 and is sold to Celotex Company. </p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1927</span> His second daughter Allegra is born in Chicago. Fuller considers himself a failure and contemplates suicide. </p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">“It was jump, or think” – RBF</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman">Instead, Bucky undergoes deep contemplation for one year, and sets new goals for himself. He wanted to dedicate his life to finding economic solutions for the average man so that they can lead a better and more fulfilled life. Throughout this profound year, Bucky is immersed in deep study and meditation, often speaking to no one. </p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1928 </span>Bucky completes a blueprint of the 4D Timelock Tower, which is distributed at the American Institute of Architects in St. Louis. 200 mimeographed copies were handed out. The central problem Bucky wanted to address was “the great economic problem of this age and all ages – The Home.” In his proposal he introduced: </p><ul face="times new roman"><li>Standardization, which was manifested into mass-produced housing using modern materials: “To poorer classes, is the subject of this volume – an object of the highest practical utility to man. It delineates a new mode of inclosing public edifices and private residences, far better, every way and several hundred percent cheaper, than any other; and will enable the poor but ingenious man to erect a comfortable dwelling at a trifling cost, and almost without the aid or cost, as now, of mechanics.”<o:p></o:p></li><li>House machine – “the mass production house, healthy (and morally so too) and beautiful in the same way that working tools and instruments which accompany our existence are beautiful.”<o:p></o:p></li><li>Decentralization – suburban location without any underground grids that restrict us from living the way we were meant to <o:p></o:p></li><li>Metal – different from any tools of other ages, its fiber and tensile strength should be used to our advantage<o:p></o:p></li><li>Air delivery – he envisioned delivering complete, mass produced homes as you would deliver a car. <o:p></o:p></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman">In the same year Bucker proposed the 4D House.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1929 </span>Dymaxion is coined by a radio broadcaster who thought 4D sounded like an apartment number. Second paper model of 4D (Dymaxion) House is constructed. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1930 </span>T-Square a magazine is bought by Fuller who changes the name to Shelter. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman">A potential investor who asks for the cost to make a full-scale version of the 4D Dymaxion House and Fuller retorted that it would take “100 million dollars” which ends the conversation promptly approaches him. In spite of his promotional campaign the 4D philosophy was only known to a handful of people<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1933</span> Fuller founds the Dymaxion Corporation in Connecticut and builds the first Dymaxion Car. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1940 </span>Fuller discovers the strength behind grain bins and approaches the Butler Manufacturing Company of Kansas City that manufactured these containers to build the Dymaxion Deployment Units. These cost efficient, weather-proof, quick-assemble, and transportable shelters were sent to house radar equipment and troops in rural, isolated conditions of WWII. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1944</span> Fuller resigns from the U.S. Board of Economics to design his Dymaxion Dwelling Machines in anticipation of the war veterans that will be returning. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1948</span> The Wichita House is bought by William Graham for a dollar and modified to become an extension of his house. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1952</span> The year Bucky predicted would be the time the gestation period of the Dymaxion House arrived. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman">The Dymaxion Dwelling Machine was never successful in the monetary sense. Despite receiver 3500 orders the project was never realized. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><br /></p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;">After the Dymaxion Project, Buckminster Fuller would become a teacher, receive the highest civilian award from President Ronal Reagan, and author many books. He would coin the philosophy of Synergetic and patent geodesic domes and the Dymaxion Air-Ocean Map. One of his most noteworthy achievements would be the Biosphere in Montreal for the Expo 67’. Although many of Bucky’s ideas and designs would not be considered successful at the time, he would become the inspiration of many projects in the future.</span> </span><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><!--EndFragment-->Carrie Chenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01899812619522643483noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-45237317039875953082010-01-12T14:38:00.003-05:002010-01-21T10:58:29.861-05:00Connection Patents for Container Connections<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.pacificmarine.net/images/type-1-corner-casting.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.pacificmarine.net/images/type-1-corner-casting.jpg" /></a><br />This image shows the patent diagrams for the standardized connections used for shipping containers.<br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5632586.html">AUTOMATIC TWISTLOCK</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3749438.html">REGULAR TWISTLOCK</a></div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06949477994669972939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-14949760998835981282010-01-11T21:22:00.004-05:002010-01-21T10:56:39.142-05:00Dymaxion Construction<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ElAdCXqLaEs/S0vdnbsNw3I/AAAAAAAAAB4/0VS7gFrHwCM/s1600-h/14284_image_8xl.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 64px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425673845615739762" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ElAdCXqLaEs/S0vdnbsNw3I/AAAAAAAAAB4/0VS7gFrHwCM/s400/14284_image_8xl.jpg" /></a><br />This sequence of photos shows the progression of construction of the Wichita prototype of the Dymaxion Dwelling Machine.<br /><br />1) Building of the platform.<br />2) Positioning the compression rings and tensile wires.<br />3) Placing the roof gores.<br />4) Lifting the ventilation cap into place.<br />5) The house nearly finished.Claire Kurtinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00699137085838594097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-32993243764309068952010-01-11T00:51:00.025-05:002010-01-21T03:03:46.013-05:00Buckys Bathroom<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3489/3227746114_41214ef079_b.jpg"><br /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Dymaxion Bathroom</span><br /></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S1aOs_0c0bI/AAAAAAAAAWI/n6mNJHQfXTI/s1600-h/Bathroom+AXO+I.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 354px; height: 362px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S1aOs_0c0bI/AAAAAAAAAWI/n6mNJHQfXTI/s320/Bathroom+AXO+I.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428683304538526130" border="0" /></a><br /><br />An usual American bathroom is full of inconveniences. It is expensive to construct and is very time consuming; the tiles have to be laid along with custom plumbing. It is also difficult to clean with its many nooks and crannies that could harbor dirt and germs as well as being prone to leakage that might damage the structure of the building.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S1aO6z1pSzI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/kKWonpOgW3M/s1600-h/Bathroom+Plan+I.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 284px; height: 274px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S1aO6z1pSzI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/kKWonpOgW3M/s320/Bathroom+Plan+I.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428683541840481074" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S1aO-Z0whnI/AAAAAAAAAWY/YWivWtnoulM/s1600-h/Bathroom+Section+I.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 231px; height: 297px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S1aO-Z0whnI/AAAAAAAAAWY/YWivWtnoulM/s320/Bathroom+Section+I.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428683603576915570" border="0" /></a><br />There have been a few molded plastic tub and shower that are usually only cheap substitutes.<br /><br />The Dymaxion Bathroom is made from four rustproof, sheet metal stampings or plastic molding that form the three main areas of the bathroom: the sink, the toilet and the shower/tub. Each of the four sheets can be carried by two men through standard living spaces so it is suitable for almost every case of installation, especially retro-fitting. The four components are bolted together and are completely leak proof while only weighing 250 pounds.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S1aPBmtgqUI/AAAAAAAAAWg/aAxAEUK3Uwg/s1600-h/3227746640_a370971cfe_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S1aPBmtgqUI/AAAAAAAAAWg/aAxAEUK3Uwg/s320/3227746640_a370971cfe_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428683658575784258" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sirjustin1/3227746640/sizes/o/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/sirjustin1/3227746640/sizes/o/</a><br /></div><br />Buckminster Fuller was aware of the daily inconvenience of the usual bathroom and came up with his own solutions. All corners of the bathroom have at least a 5cm radii for easy cleaning, so it would leave no difficult to clean crevices found in almost every bathroom. The sink faucet is directed away from the user to avoid any splashes. There are resistance heating stripes along beneath the steps separating the shower with the rest of the unit. A condensation-free mirror is inside the medicine cabinet. Finally a fan beneath the sink sucks away any steam or odor<br /><br />.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S1aPEQArqqI/AAAAAAAAAWo/7YjGrmmfeqU/s1600-h/3400478071_f511fced5d_o.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 340px; height: 191px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S1aPEQArqqI/AAAAAAAAAWo/7YjGrmmfeqU/s320/3400478071_f511fced5d_o.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428683704021789346" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/saschapohflepp/3400478071/sizes/o/"><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/saschapohflepp/3400478071/sizes/o/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/saschapohflepp/3400478071/sizes/o/</a><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3489/3227746114_41214ef079_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 295px; height: 196px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3489/3227746114_41214ef079_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sirjustin1/3227746114/sizes/l/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/sirjustin1/3227746114/sizes/l/</a><br /></div><br />There are two inventions by Bucky that were far ahead of their time and were meant to be put into the Dymaxion bathroom but was never accomplished, one was a packaging toilet other a fog gun.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S1gJsGVm60I/AAAAAAAAAXI/ZxXKjQ10YIg/s1600-h/Dymaxion+Bathroom+Photo.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 306px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S1gJsGVm60I/AAAAAAAAAXI/ZxXKjQ10YIg/s320/Dymaxion+Bathroom+Photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429100004015270722" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Since none of these were ever manufactured there are none specifications for them but their theories can be fully explained.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Packaging Toilet</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S1aPaPGmHeI/AAAAAAAAAXA/BUXgYyRKD0I/s1600-h/toilet-1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 236px; height: 234px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S1aPaPGmHeI/AAAAAAAAAXA/BUXgYyRKD0I/s320/toilet-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428684081735278050" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.luxurylaunches.com/fittings/five_of_the_worlds_most_expensive_toilets.php">http://www.luxurylaunches.com/fittings/five_of_the_worlds_most_expensive_toilets.php</a><br /></div><br />With assistance from Don Moore (appliance engineer), Bucky designed a waterless toilet system that automatically seals any excrement in a plastic bag. Therefore disease causing germs that are found in sewage systems would be eliminated. The bags would be picked by a collection service and no piping, septic tank or treatment plants would be necessary. The faults of the Packaging Toilet was that it required majority approval from the general public and also full cooperation from large companies that operate sewage plants. For these reasons alone the Packaging Toilet was never realized.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">The Fog Gun<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S1aPIDhiGrI/AAAAAAAAAWw/-WBCRTR1IWI/s1600-h/335eb_spray_dryer_pressure_nozzle.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 188px; height: 303px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S1aPIDhiGrI/AAAAAAAAAWw/-WBCRTR1IWI/s320/335eb_spray_dryer_pressure_nozzle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428683769389390514" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.spraydrysys.com/images/335eb_spray_dryer_pressure_nozzle.jpg">http://www.spraydrysys.com/images/335eb_spray_dryer_pressure_nozzle.jpg</a><br /></div><br />Water used by washing is a major waste of resource in a normal household. While Bucky was in the Navy he noticed that wind driven fog kept his face as well as ship, clean. The Fog Gun uses a the same mechanism that is found in airbrushing. With a atomizing nozzle that is supplied water at a certain pressure (Bucky proposed 200 ppi) and it would be sprayed as a fine mist that is capable of even cutting grease. Most importantly Bucky said a one cup of water would provide a satisfying shower. However questions were raised about its comfort, specifically the fact the water would cool within a feet from the nozzle because it is so fine and also the fact a spray shower would not seem like a very satisfying experience to most consumers.<br /><br />In the essence the design for the Dymaxion Bathroom is a great summary of Bucky's philosophy. He is concerned with the idea of providing a efficient space where all the human necessities are satisfied, there are hints of great ideas ahead of its time never realized but the his grand ideas use prefabrication the main construction method.<br /><br />So whether or not you are a fan of one of the most orginal minds of the 20th century, Buckminster Fuller, all you need is one look at the <a href="http://www.bfi.org/our_programs/who_is_buckminster_fuller/design_science/dymaxion_designs/the_dymaxion_bathroom">Dymaxion Bathroom</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5dn6HvLYUPM/S0rEF_VwFsI/AAAAAAAAAVo/1a12lpzYACE/s1600-h/US2220482-4.jpg"><br /></a><div menubottom="0" menuright="0" menutop="0" menuleft="0" activeid="-1" expanded="0" style="display: none;" id="divCleekiAttrib"></div>Haley Zhouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17968863329724251493noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-47713073720293610612010-01-10T20:42:00.005-05:002010-01-21T11:09:46.728-05:00Various Other Container Projects<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#551a8b;"><br /></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">These are some projects which use shipping containers in unconventional ways.<br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://www.mmw.no/projects/search/fhiltex#"><br /></a></div>Below is the <a href="http://www.mmw.no/projects/search/fhiltex#">the fhiltex project</a><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.mmw.no/images/show/1784.jpg" /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Below is the Pad Home (see <a href="http://bldgblog.blogspot.com/2005/10/garage-conversions.html">BLDGBLOG</a> - the original firm doesn't appear to exist anymore)</div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">We don't really know anything about it, but it looks nice. It may in fact only use container-like forms, as there appears to be wood cladding. </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 399px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 203px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7184/598/400/home_2.jpg" /> <div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">And one of my favourites so far, the depressingly hard-to-find Ten Year Hotel. The original site no longer exists. It uses a system of shipping containers in a sort of grid matrix with walkways suspended between them. </div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://www.designdb.com/imagedata/reporter/_WEBEDITOR/20062288255292415.jpg" /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">I refuse, also, to let anyone forget about <a href="http://www.tempohousing.com/projects/keetwonen.html">Keetwonen</a>- a temporary and extremely successful example.</div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"> </div></div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06949477994669972939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-11924362680483629132010-01-10T17:16:00.000-05:002010-01-10T19:52:59.652-05:00Dymaxion dwelling machine photoshere are some photos that i have compiled on my computer from various internet sources. <div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ElAdCXqLaEs/S0pcCYsoFMI/AAAAAAAAABw/d_LXAb0L3Y4/s1600-h/dymaxion_outside.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 308px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ElAdCXqLaEs/S0pcCYsoFMI/AAAAAAAAABw/d_LXAb0L3Y4/s400/dymaxion_outside.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425249897180304578" border="0" /></a>The completed Dymaxion Dwelling Machine<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ElAdCXqLaEs/S0pcCEzJ2EI/AAAAAAAAABo/e5sVkwUdS_I/s1600-h/dymaxion_interior.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ElAdCXqLaEs/S0pcCEzJ2EI/AAAAAAAAABo/e5sVkwUdS_I/s400/dymaxion_interior.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425249891838974018" border="0" /></a>A model of the interior of the Dymaxion Dwelling machine<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ElAdCXqLaEs/S0pcB4TcieI/AAAAAAAAABg/Pz875hXUSjs/s1600-h/CRI_3481.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ElAdCXqLaEs/S0pcB4TcieI/AAAAAAAAABg/Pz875hXUSjs/s400/CRI_3481.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425249888484755938" border="0" /></a>Air flow patterns inside of the DDM<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ElAdCXqLaEs/S0pcBXZwldI/AAAAAAAAABY/D6AiNo6ApMM/s1600-h/bfuller-dwelling-machine-0608.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ElAdCXqLaEs/S0pcBXZwldI/AAAAAAAAABY/D6AiNo6ApMM/s400/bfuller-dwelling-machine-0608.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425249879652865490" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ElAdCXqLaEs/S0pcBP_XbYI/AAAAAAAAABQ/MjEj7SrMU-c/s1600-h/2795784355_d13b790e48.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 222px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ElAdCXqLaEs/S0pcBP_XbYI/AAAAAAAAABQ/MjEj7SrMU-c/s400/2795784355_d13b790e48.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425249877663116674" border="0" /></a>Fuller's proposed dymaxion neighbourhood. Hamburgers in Suburbia.</div>Claire Kurtinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00699137085838594097noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141917246060796640.post-67696982586991896592010-01-10T01:29:00.002-05:002010-01-21T11:11:29.679-05:00Buckminster Fuller: From the Universe Onward<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">To get ourselves from Buckminster Fuller's philosophies about the universe to his prefabricated house designs, let's ask a series of questions.</div><br />First of all what <i>is</i> Bucky's view of the universe? We have discussed it, but can it be crystallized in a few short points?<br /><br />1) The universe is designed. It has purpose and direction.<br /><br />2) The universe includes mainly thought and experience.<br /><br />3) We all, as humans, participate in the same universe, composed of our collective experiences.<br /><br />4) Words, concepts, and physical things have no meaning unless they are experientially understood by each individual.<br /><br />5) We are all joined, and should think of ourselves as together on one "Spaceship Earth".<br /><br /><br />We now have five points. But they are still abstract. Next we can ask:<br /><br />What in Bucky's life prompted him to come to these conclusions?<br /><br />In 1927, Fuller's young daughter Alexandra died. Close to that time, his financial investments failed almost completely. In this crisis, he considered suicide, wondering whether his wife and family would be better off without him. Instead, he chose to take time to think, and reconsider his place in the world.<br /><br />Later I will elaborate more on exactly where the five ideas above came from.<br /><br />Fuller resolved to live his life as a grand experiment: a quest to determine how much a purpose-driven person could accomplish if they were fully committed. And he began to carry his views into actions.<br /><br />The next question we might ask is: where did Bucky's thoughts lead first? We will reiterate the five headings.<br /><br /><br />1) The universe is designed. It has purpose and direction.<br /><br /><br />Bucky concluded that his life, and all life, had purpose.<br /><br /><br />Man had been given a brain.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S0l3vfIN-oI/AAAAAAAAACE/H390q3NcvAY/s1600-h/RBF8.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 305px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424998883837999746" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S0l3vfIN-oI/AAAAAAAAACE/H390q3NcvAY/s400/RBF8.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />So he could use it to engineer the path to his own successful future.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S0l4JU2S3oI/AAAAAAAAACM/Cmhg2Jsr484/s1600-h/RBF007.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 203px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424999327755067010" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S0l4JU2S3oI/AAAAAAAAACM/Cmhg2Jsr484/s400/RBF007.jpg" /></a><br />"Give me a lever big enough, and I will move the world." Archimedes said that, but it might as well have been Bucky.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Fuller believed that many people merely accepted the thoughts and dogmas of others, never living truly as themselves. They blended into the drab political organizations that held the world back. They drifted along, not knowing that because of their passivity, they were dooming Spaceship Earth to a...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S0l5QRcsm_I/AAAAAAAAACU/_9YljFhh4DQ/s1600-h/RBF005.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 229px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425000546613107698" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S0l5QRcsm_I/AAAAAAAAACU/_9YljFhh4DQ/s400/RBF005.jpg" /></a><br />...trip over a waterfall.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />2) The universe includes mainly thought and experience.<br /><br /><br />Many scientists wouldn't allow for the existence of anything but matter and energy. Bucky said that any explanation leaving out the "weightless things", like thought, was useless.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />3) We all, as humans, participate in the same universe, composed of our collective experiences.<br /><br /><br />To Bucky, everyone was connected. Humans were not American, or British, or Chinese, or Polynesian - they were human, and their thoughts and memories were the soul of Universe.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />4) Words, concepts, and physical things have no meaning unless they are experientially understood by each individual.<br /><br /><br />Precision with words became crucial to his ideas. He chose to remain almost silent for two years after his crisis, just so he could really understand what he meant when he said anything: to express his experiences precisely.<br /><br /><br />He decided that while it was unfortunate to be not understood sometimes...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S0l887ImJvI/AAAAAAAAADM/oWIeNXfCOlM/s1600-h/RBF7.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 181px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425004612252215026" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S0l887ImJvI/AAAAAAAAADM/oWIeNXfCOlM/s400/RBF7.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />... it was far worse to be <i>mis</i>understood.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S0l9WdPtNSI/AAAAAAAAADU/Pm1ydkkw4nc/s1600-h/RBF6.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 174px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425005050905572642" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S0l9WdPtNSI/AAAAAAAAADU/Pm1ydkkw4nc/s400/RBF6.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This is why reading one of Bucky's books can seem like being caught inside a glossary of medical terms - he used as many exact, omni-useful, unpretentious descriptive phrases as he thought necessary.<br /><br />This is also why he liked the word "dymaxion" so much, and used it as a trademark for nearly all his designs, including his houses. Waldo Warren, the public relations manager at Marshall Fields's Department Store came up with it after listening to Bucky lecture for two days. He noticed that Fuller used the words "dynamic", "maximum", and "ion" many times, and decided to combine them into one. Apparently, Bucky liked it.<br /><br /><br /><br />5) We are all joined, and should think of ourselves as together on one "Spaceship Earth".<br /><br /><br />This is perhaps the most relevant point. The death of Fuller's daughter had awakened a great desire in him to protect: to shelter. Somehow, he wanted to provide this shelter to all humanity.<br /><br /><br />And to do it without overtaxing earth's resources.<br /><br /><br />Of course, he didn't understand this right from the beginning. But the idea was what started him down the road to all things Dymaxion and prefabricated.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S0l-Pus7c2I/AAAAAAAAADc/EhA0rrG8l6U/s1600-h/RBF008.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 165px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425006034844087138" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZbZozQhssB8/S0l-Pus7c2I/AAAAAAAAADc/EhA0rrG8l6U/s400/RBF008.jpg" /></a>Samuel Gantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04483992708538576572noreply@blogger.com2